Wesley has now told Entertainment Weekly that Stefan will still be uncomfortable with the situation when the show returns.

However, he continued: "Something's going to happen that drastically changes that, and then at that point he commits and doesn't look back. Then he can really enjoy it."

Wesley added that he likes playing a different side to Stefan in the new episodes.

"The truth is, I can be a dark guy like any other," he said. "But I love humor and I love goofing off and I love being silly, and playing a character that's constantly burdened for years, it can be a little depressing after a while.

"To play a character who has absolutely no conscience, that literally felt like taking a load off my shoulders."

Wesley also teased that it may be some time before Stefan begins to return to his old self, saying: "There's going to be a lot of killing. As far as Stefan is concerned, he can never go back to his old life.

"He's murdered all these people. What do you think, we're just going to go hang out now? As far as he's concerned, he's moved on. He's past it all."